What to expect from your water cooler supplier?

A water cooler supplier should be able to recommend whether a mains-fed or bottled water system will be most appropriate for your workplace.

Most water cooler providers will propose a site visit to assess the spatial and plumbing needs of your premises in order to make a more informed assessment of your water cooler requirements.

Delivery is typically included in any water cooler system purchase. Some equipment, especially large mains-fed water coolers, are heavy and awkward to manoeuvre. Installation is also normally included in the purchase cost of a water cooler system. With bottled water coolers installation is as simple as placing a bottle in the machine and plugging it in. With plumbed-in water dispensers, pipes may need to be added to the building system; inflow and outflow pipes need to be installed correctly to prevent leaks, and with hot and cold water systems the correct pipes need to match up. It is a difficult job for an amateur to attempt, but not for a professional fitter or plumber.

With a plumbed-in water cooler, regular maintenance is required to keep the machine running. It should be treated as any other appliance, and just as washing machines and dishwashers need servicing, so too do office water coolers. Suppliers should be able to send out an engineer to service their water coolers, and depending on your contract the servicing may be offered free or as part of the warranty agreement.

Many mains-fed water coolers use filters to purify the water to ensure cleanliness and taste. You should check with your  water cooler supplier as to whether it will be your responsibility or theirs to clean or replace these filters, as they can be costly and the machine will not function properly without them.